Leek & Cheese Tart
A delicious creamy, cheese and leek filled pastry case, perfect for those lazy days when we can eat alfresco. A slice will be perfect for your lunch box too. You need to bake the pastry base blind first but this can be done on the BBQ too. Any leftover pastry, mix in some grated cheese & smoked paprika to make cheese straws.
Ingredients
PASTRY
250g plain flour
125g unsalted butter
Pinch salt
Cold water – enough to bring the pastry together
WHAT YOU NEED
1 pie tin (I used a 23cm fluted flan tin with a removable bottom) greased & base lined with parchment paper
Ceramic baking beans
Parchment paper (for baking blind)
FILLING
350g leeks, trimmed, washed and finely sliced (make sure you use the green leafy bits at the top end too) I used two small leeks
3 cloves garlic, crushed
200g mature cheddar cheese, grated
3 large eggs
100ml milk
Unsalted butter for sautéing the leeks
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper
3 spring onions, sliced lengthways and charred on the grill for garnish
Method
PASTRY
1. Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs, then add enough cold water to bring it together into a dough. Wrap and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
2. Light your BBQ. You want it set up for indirect cooking at a temp of 180°C.
FILLING
1. Roll out the pastry and carefully line your pie dish. Press it into the corners and trim the edges.
2. Take a piece of parchment paper and screw it up into a ball. Prick the pastry all over the base with a fork. Unwrap the crumpled paper and place on top of your pastry. Crumpling the paper makes it softer, and means the baking beans can sit right to the edge of the dish. Pour in the baking beans. This goes into the BBQ for 15 minutes. Take it out the oven and remove the paper with the baking beads on it. Put the tin back into the oven for a further 5 minutes. This helps to dry it out.
3. Take the pastry base out of the oven, trim the edges if needed. Set aside.
4. Put a pan onto your grill and add in a knob of butter. Add in the leeks and gently saute for about 5 minutes. Put the garlic in and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes. You don’t want the leeks to brown. Stir in most of the grated cheese into the leek mixture (save some to sprinkle on the top of the tart). This distributes the cheese right through the filling. Spread evenly over the pastry base.
5. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, pour in the milk, add a teaspoon of mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Beat again and pour onto the leek mixture. Sprinkle with the remainder of the grated cheese.
6. Bake in the BBQ for 35-40 minutes until the top is lightly coloured and just set.
7. Garnish with chargrilled spring onions.
More Recipes Ideas from Sue Stoneman
Method
PASTRY
1. Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs, then add enough cold water to bring it together into a dough. Wrap and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
2. Light your BBQ. You want it set up for indirect cooking at a temp of 180°C.
FILLING
1. Roll out the pastry and carefully line your pie dish. Press it into the corners and trim the edges.
2. Take a piece of parchment paper and screw it up into a ball. Prick the pastry all over the base with a fork. Unwrap the crumpled paper and place on top of your pastry. Crumpling the paper makes it softer, and means the baking beans can sit right to the edge of the dish. Pour in the baking beans. This goes into the BBQ for 15 minutes. Take it out the oven and remove the paper with the baking beads on it. Put the tin back into the oven for a further 5 minutes. This helps to dry it out.
3. Take the pastry base out of the oven, trim the edges if needed. Set aside.
4. Put a pan onto your grill and add in a knob of butter. Add in the leeks and gently saute for about 5 minutes. Put the garlic in and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes. You don’t want the leeks to brown. Stir in most of the grated cheese into the leek mixture (save some to sprinkle on the top of the tart). This distributes the cheese right through the filling. Spread evenly over the pastry base.
5. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, pour in the milk, add a teaspoon of mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Beat again and pour onto the leek mixture. Sprinkle with the remainder of the grated cheese.
6. Bake in the BBQ for 35-40 minutes until the top is lightly coloured and just set.
7. Garnish with chargrilled spring onions.
